“In just two seasons, Coach Finwood has lead a dramatic resurgence within WKU baseball,” said Selig. “Our goals each year are to compete for a Sun Belt championship and play in the NCAA Tournament. Coach Finwood has us on target to accomplish those goals while also building an expanded and energetic fan following for our program. WKU baseball is in great position for a long, successful run — we want to make sure the leadership remains intact to direct that charge.”
“I am excited and honored to be the head baseball coach here at WKU, and look forward to continuing our climb to the top of the Sun Belt Conference,” said Finwood. “I want to thank (WKU President) Dr. (Gary) Ransdell and Dr. Selig for the support they continue to show our program and our family, and we are looking forward to being here in Bowling Green and at WKU for a long time.”
Finwood — who was named WKU’s 12th head baseball coach on May 17, 2005 — has amassed 47 wins in his two seasons at the helm. Perhaps the most dramatic turnaround in that two-year span has come in Sun Belt Conference play. After a five-win league record in 2006, the Hilltoppers finished 15-15 in the conference last spring. The 10-win increase marked the largest single-season turnaround in Sun Belt Conference history. The .500 league record qualified the Hilltoppers for the Sun Belt Conference Tournament after WKU was picked by the league coaches in the preseason to not qualify for the eight-team field.
The first recruiting class signed by Finwood and his staff prior to the 2007 season was recognized as one of the nation’s best by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper. The additional talent paid dividends in every aspect of the game, but was especially noticeable in the field as WKU led the Sun Belt Conference with a .969 fielding percentage in ‘07 after ranking fifth the season before.
A 20-year veteran in the coaching profession, Finwood brought experience to the Hill both as a head coach and a recruiter. A 1988 graduate of Virginia Military Institute, he served as both an assistant and the head coach at his alma mater — leading the Keydets for three seasons (1992-94). After inheriting a team that won just two games the year before he took over, Finwood guided VMI to a 19-win turnaround in just two seasons. After serving six years as both an assistant and associate head coach at Virginia Commonwealth, Finwood spent five seasons at Auburn before taking over the Hilltopper program.
